I think i would prefer nyc or newark over chicago anyday! But i still hate the northeast!

I have been watching this site for a long while now and even after reading everything months ago on Stevens, I still went with them. Just want to give my opinion on a few things. I went through the Stevens School, your first couple of days things are pretty cool lots of paperwork to sign your life away on though. Instructors are really great, expecially one named Tim. He is always there for you/others are to but he goes out of his way for you to suceed. I thought lets say learning how to shift.... that the instructors would be in the truck with us but nope they told us how in class that it was to be done then you and another classmate got in a truck bobtail and played around on the track figuring it out. Then every now & then a instructor would get in & tell you what your doing wrong & what you can improve on. Then off on your own again. Backing was the same way figure it out you hit a trailer oh well then instructors would get in & help show you what your doing wrong & always ask why didnt you get out & look so on so forth. I loved the training part.

Let me tell ya all up front STEVENS is picky about who they hire. Some examples are:
Drugs or Alcohol - you get drug tested at least 3 times or more in the 3-4 weeks your there
Any gaps in employment - fine tooth comb through your application you will see/talk to about 3 different people going through your application
Doctor - they have there own & he's something else be sure your vision is ok blood pressure ok before you even come to the terminal
We started with 38 studens about within the 3 weeks we had 8 of us graduate.

Attitudes change at Stevens when you pass your CDL you then notice people treating you like #### you become a letter combination instead of your name.

I made it through the 3 weeks of school and 3 weeks with a trainer - im now at haome a few days (unless something better comes along) but what still sucks is I still have 8 weeks before im even in my own truck. Honestly dont know if Im gonna make it.

Let me just give you a few things to consider on your decision with Stevens Transport
*****************Positives************************ ***********
Outstanding schooling to get your CDL
Nice double occupancy hotel room for schooling with tv,stove, refer, toaster, coffe pot, dishes & stores close by to walk to
Your loan is through a 3rd party that reports to all 3 bureaus which is good on school loans helps to raise your credit (if you pay it)
Dont have to wait at terminal for trainer they fly you out & then get you cab to your trainers location
They give you $70.00 a week in cash for cigs, food, whatever (this is included in your loan for $5000.00 (this seems to be pretty average among cost with schools
************************Negatives***************** ***********
Rigor training after school you will go 3 weeks schooling
5-6 weeks with trainer
1 week orientation
3 weeks dumb & dumber
1 week or less on getting cleared through the yard with your truck/1st solo load
So altogether if you stay all the way through to solo 1st seat driver you are looking at 13-14 weeks.
They tell you quality equiptment in recruiting & online but new students gat 4-5 year old equiptment that has been trrough the mill a few times it seems
Tell you tuition reimbursement true but untrue------------------------
Loan is for $5000.00 You pay $25.00 a week Stevens pays $25.00 a week for 6 months then your payments double Stevens pays all but the $25.00 a week you still continue to pay. AFTER 1 year Stevens will start reimbursing you at the same rate you paid they will give you $25.00 a week.
Stevens runs you like a robot with the quail comm you are told what roads to take where to stop for fuel (not from the book of designated fuel stops) where they say on quail comm
You do lots of repowers, NY, & Wwwwwwaaaaaiiiittttiiiiinnnngggg at shippers & recievers not hardly any drop & hook with Stevens. I might add moreto this later or feel free to leave ma a message or attach to this string, will do my best to answer any questions Later all!!!!!!!!

Over the years I have seen a lot of posters say well I have read the bad, but am going to try them anyway. Most of the time the outcome is they end up posting what all the others have posted in the past. This seems to be an on going cycle. With the 1st couple of complaints and warnings I could see someone saying well; maybe the others were wrong, but after page after page of the same things it just makes me wonder why do people think it will be different for them?

__________________
A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:

I think its because all drivers have to start somewhere and the better companies won't hire you until you have had a year or so otr! The companies that aren't quiet as picky for new trainee's are CR England, Swift and Stevens (What a lot to pick from) CR England and Stevens have those pretty looking trucks and most people think they can deal with anything for a year (little do they know) or they think it can't be that bad!

To teach drivers to desend grades without jake brake. you go down with the engine governer 10-%of grade=gear to desend the grade in, and you can go up 1 gear higher on most grades then with light steady brake pressure all the way down the grade you will not smoke your brakes.in fact you can go coast to coast with 7 to 10 lbs of brake psi and wont smoke your brakes.you can go down slow as many times as you like youll only go too fast maybe once.

so when did you realize this.
1.they or any other co. cant afford to have drug addicts
2.13 to 14 weeks you should have known about this
3.hope you werent expecting a brand new truck.
4. $25 a week that was for hotel,meals, physicail, and bus ticket
5.quail com route is just a recommdation you can go any route you choose as long as you are within your 10% variance, and feul at any approved on the list of fuel stops.that means if you have a 3000 mile trip you can go out of route 300 miles.did they not explain out of route miles to your class?
6.if your gonna wait that long you can unload yourself and get paid for it $300-$500,and yes there are quiet a few drop n hooks.
7.you shouldnt be ansewering questions if you dont know all the facts.
8.you been following the co all this time,and choose to go with them, and it seems you still do not know what you are talking about.

I think giving a new driver a jake brake will get them killed. you need to learn how to decsend steep grades without one first.and if you dont know how you should also learn how to.its a whole lot different descending without one than it is with one. you dont have that security blanket without one, so you learn to do it right the first time.plus jakes can fail.so you need to learn to get down in case it ever does.and fanning your brakes in 6th or 7th gear aint gonna do it.

Ive gone down some grades with 44k on with an engine brake, and still the brakes were smoking. There's just a point where the load just pushes you and there's nothing you can do about it. Your goin down that hill no matter what gear your in, jake brake or not.

I just talked to a driver who used to drive for Stevens. He lives in El Paso and said he had to park in Mesquite for time off. He'd stay out for three months and ride a Greyhound home and back. True or not that's a pretty depressing story right there.

true if he stays out 3 months at a time. you get 1 day off for every week out then he is going to be off for about 2 weeks and they are not going to let the truck sat that long. he may even get another truck when he gets back to the yard.and what after his 2 weeks off is over and he decides he wants to go work somewhere else.theres 2 weeks of that truck not making any money + they would have to send some one to recover the truck. find a load to bring to Dallas or deadhead it back a big loss to a co. but a bus ticket is a lot cheaper.Trucking is a business.